MSD has revealed that its CETP inhibitor anacetrapib reduced the risk of major coronary events by 9 percent versus placebo in patients with cardiovascular disease already taking LDL-C lowering therapy alongside atorvastatin.
News
LifeArc and AUTM partner for tech transfer training
Programme pairs UK life-science graduates and post-doctoral students with an experienced technology transfer mentor
AstraZeneca, Takeda sign $400m deal for Parkinson’s therapy
AstraZeneca and Takeda are to jointly develop and commercialise an experimental therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
NICE u-turn backs Takeda’s Adcetris for sALCL
Takeda’s Adcetris has now been backed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as an option to treat systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL), a very rare and aggressive cancer of the lymphatic system, on the NHS in England and Wales.
NHS to assess data-recording insulin pen device
Up to 300 patients in England are to test a novel insulin pen accessory able to record usage data as part of a national NHS Test Bed programme exploring new models of care.
EUSA bags EU approval for kidney cancer drug
The European Commission has licensed EUSA Pharma’s Fotivda for the management of adult patients with advanced kidney cancer across the European Union as well as Norway and Iceland.
AZ links with Berg in AI-based drug discovery deal
AstraZeneca and US biopharma Berg have entered a research pact to identify and evaluate novel targets and therapeutics to treat neurological disorders with the help of artificial intelligence. AZ also announced expanded approval in the US of breast cancer drug Faslodex.
Gilead buys into CAR-T with $11.9bn deal for Kite
Gilead Sciences is buying Kite Pharma in a deal worth $11.9 billion, securing itself access to the latter’s experimental CAR-T therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel and wider cancer pipeline.
Europe’s first stem cell therapy backed by NICE
Chiesi’s Holoclar, the first stem-cell therapy to be cleared by European regulators, has received a green light for use on the NHS in England and Wales to treat a rare sight condition.
Vertex files new CF combo in the US, EU
Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic are reviewing Vertex’ experimental tezacaftor/ivacaftor combination therapy for cystic fibrosis.
US OKs first drug for dyskinaesia in Parkinson’s patients
US regulators have approved the first and only treatment option to treat dyskinaesia in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
EU nod for Merck’s MS therapy Mavenclad
Merck’s Mavenclad has bagged approval in the European Union, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland to treat highly active relapsing multiple sclerosis.
FDA, EMA and EC sign new confidentiality commitment
The US Food and Drug Administration can now share non-public and commercially confidential information, including trade secrets relating to medicines inspections, with EU regulators after the parties signed a new commitment.
Researchers repurpose diabetes drug for brain pressure
Research led by the University of Birmingham indicates that a GLP-1 agonist drug, currently used to lower blood sugar in people with type II diabetes, could be repurposed to treat raised brain pressure.
Merck sees promise in Macrophage Pharma
Merck Ventures has become the latest group to invest in Macrophage Pharma and take a position on the UK biotech’s board of directors.
